Abstract/Summary

This Sheet Description describes the Quaternary geology of the Hamim 1:100 000 scale geological map. About 75 observation points were made throughout the Hamim district, which covers c. 1500 km2 of country that includes the eastern part of the Liwa crescent oasis and extends to the UAE-Saudi Arabia border in the south. No pre-Quaternary bedrock exposures were identified in the district. Sandstones of the Madinat Zayed Formation form sparse, low mesas within some of the interdunes in the Liwa mega-barchan field and probably underlie most of the district, typically overlain by a veneer of unconsolidated aeolian sand. Modern dunes cover most of the district as a variety of active, aeolian sand deposits with different morphological forms, including fields of low dunes, high barchans, limited areas of sand sheet and mega-barchans. The latter dominates the southern part of the district, with its associated hard-surfaced, whitish interdune sabkha pans. The area has no surface economic mineral deposits, but is underlain by the Zarrarah oilfield.